WAN - Stating that the CPT is responsible for the safety of Abdullah Öcalan and other prisoners, İHD Wan Branch Chair Mehmet Karataş said, "It is unacceptable that the CPT, which is supposed to monitor practices contrary to human dignity in prisons, is not doing its duty."

 

Since 25 March 2021, no news has been heard from PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been kept in aggravated isolation in İmralı Type F Closed Prison. Applications made by lawyers and families are not responded to. Mehmet Karataş, Head of the Wan Branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD), stated that all unlawful acts were initiated in İmralı and spread to other prisons.

 

İHD Wan Branch Chair Mehmet Karataş

 

'ILLEGALITY STARTS FROM İMRALI'

 

Stating that there is severe isolation conditions in all prisons in Turkey, Karataş underlined that the problems in prisons have become chronic and unsolvable. Expressing that the government has put in place a policy that aggravates the problem rather than a policy for the solution of these problems, Karataş stated that a special-status execution regime has been implemented against PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan. Stating that the isolation has spreaded to all prisons, Karataş said, "The government, which sees the pandemic and coup as a 'gift from God', has put all its policies into action. The unlawfulness experienced in Imrali prison began to be practiced in other prisons. We see that the special status applied to Öcalan, have been legalized in the last 20 years and applied in all prisons. In fact, the isolation imposed on Öcalan has now begun to be implemented in the heaviest form in all prisons.”

 

ISOLATION IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY

 

Explaining that all violations have been implemented in other prisons starting from İmralı, Karataş said, “The isolation carried out on Öcalan and other detainees is a crime against humanity. Violations have been taking place since the day Öcalan was brought to Imrali. Previously, reasons such as bad weather and a broken coaster were cited as a reason why visits to İmralı are prevented, but now disciplinary punishments are applied along with it. These disciplinary punishments are applied directly, without communicating these to Öcalan's lawyers or their families, without using the right of objection in the national legislation, and the isolation continues. It is against national and international legislation that Öcalan has not been allowed to meet with his lawyer and his family for 21 months. Here, the primary institution responsible for Öcalan's life safety is the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice must first make a statement and inform the public. But first of all, we see that the Ministry of Justice does not comply with the legislation determined by the law.”

 

'CPT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ÖCALAN'S LIFE SAFETY'

 

Expressing that the meeting with the CPT is a subject that needs to be questioned on its own, Karataş said, “The failure of the CPT, which is supposed to monitor practices contrary to human dignity in prisons, is unacceptable and should be questioned. Failure of the CPT to do its duty is also a violation of rights. Again, the CPT's failure to disclose this meeting to the public will further increase the violations of rights in prisons, which have a great impact on society. The CPT will be responsible for the safety of Ocalan and other people in Imrali Prison. CPT needs to make a public statement and inform the public about Öcalan. As İHD, we applied to the CPT regarding the isolation in prisons. Despite the demands of both the public and non-governmental organizations, the late arrival of the CPT to İmralı Prison and its failure to make a statement after its visit cause more violations of rights. In order to re-establish peace in Turkey, the isolation practices in prisons must be lifted as soon as possible."